AARP Foundation Awards 46 Scholarships To Low-Income Women Over 50

Illinois recipients will use scholarships for education and re-careering opportunities

CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP Foundation today announced it has awarded 46 scholarships in its sixth annual Women's Scholarship Program. The scholarships provide opportunity for low-income 50-plus women by funding education, training, and skills upgrades that can lead to better employment and increased financial security for women and their families. A total of over $175,000 was awarded in increments of $500 to $5,000 depending on financial need and the cost of the education or training program. 

Three women from Illinois (from Waukegan, Urbana and Bloomington) were selected to receive scholarships totaling $8,000. 

"AARP Foundation is committed to elevating opportunities for women," said AARP Foundation President Jo Ann Jenkins. "We are so proud of this program, which has helped hundreds of deserving women have access to the educational opportunities to advance their employment goals and ensure better financial security for themselves and their families."

While many individuals benefit from the work of AARP Foundation, research shows that women are disproportionately at risk of having insufficient funds in the second half of their lives due to lower earning and different work patterns. AARP Foundation created the Women's Scholarship Program in August 2007 to help older women overcome financial and employment barriers by facilitating their entry into education and training programs they could otherwise not afford, and ultimately assisting in their recession recovery efforts. The AARP Foundation Women's Scholarship Program is a part of a greater Workforce Initiative that is paving the way to stable income by connecting unemployed workers 50-plus with hourly-wage jobs to strengthen local economies and changing lives.

Every year, the Women's Scholarship Program awards scholarships to eligible women with lower incomes and limited financial resources. In addition to being an older student, to be eligible for the scholarships, applicants must:

• Be female and age 50 or older;
• Be a U.S. Citizen;
• Be able to demonstrate financial need; and
• Be enrolled in an accredited school or technical training program within six months of the scholarship award date.

Scholarship winners are chosen by two independent panels established by AARP Foundation. They are chosen on the basis of financial need, personal circumstances and achievements, educational goals, and the likely impact of the scholarship on their lives. The scholarship application period opens each spring and scholarships are awarded every summer. For more information, visit www.aarp.org/womensscholarship.

The scholarship program is made possible by AARP Foundation donors with generous support from AARP. 

About AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation is working to win back opportunity for struggling Americans 50+ by being a force for change on the most serious issues they face today: housing, hunger, income and isolation. By coordinating responses to these issues on all four fronts at once, and supporting them with vigorous legal advocacy, the Foundation serves the unique needs of those 50+ while working with local organizations nationwide to reach more people, work more efficiently and make resources go further. AARP Foundation is the charitable affiliate of AARP. Learn more at www.aarpfoundation.org.

SOURCE AARP Illinois